Hi everyone. I got a pair of home built speakers with vintage speaker drivers inside. At first they didn't sound so good but i made them open back and now they sound absolutely amazing. These are my favorite speakers to listen to music. They have so rich and clean sound.
In the boxes are DEW magnetfabrik Dortmund 6x9 speakers but they just lack high frequency. So my question is how do i go about adding a tweeter to vintage speaker. And what about a crossover, i don't want to spend a lot of money on the tweeters and crossover because i got speakers for next to nothing. I can provide videos and pictures for driver identification if needed.
In the boxes are DEW magnetfabrik Dortmund 6x9 speakers but they just lack high frequency. So my question is how do i go about adding a tweeter to vintage speaker. And what about a crossover, i don't want to spend a lot of money on the tweeters and crossover because i got speakers for next to nothing. I can provide videos and pictures for driver identification if needed.
Use a series capacitor and resistor to the tweeter. Start with around 3uF to 5uF nonpolar/bipolar,
and then adjust the resistor value until you have it balanced with the Dortmund.
Then reconsider the capacitor value, if necessary. Connect the drivers in phase.
Like this one.
http://www.seas.no/images/stories/diykits/a26/xo.png
and then adjust the resistor value until you have it balanced with the Dortmund.
Then reconsider the capacitor value, if necessary. Connect the drivers in phase.
Like this one.
http://www.seas.no/images/stories/diykits/a26/xo.png
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Thanks for fast response. But which type of the tweeter should i go for dome or cone. I think cone is more vintage style.
An inexpensive cone tweeter could be a good match for your 6x9 drivers and would suit rayma's simple crossover suggestion.
MONACOR: HT-22/8
MONACOR: HT-22/8
That's up to you, either could work well. Mount the tweeter close to, but above, the Dortmund.
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Things like the Audax TW010E1 are called balanced drive tweeters. A sort of tiny plastic cone/dome. Usually 90dB efficiency and designed to work with a 2.2uF capacitor (and maybe a resistor as mentioned) above 5kHz. Hard to find though.
Visaton make one too:
SC 5 - 8 Ohm | Visaton
Like the Monacor HT-22/8, quite cheap. But OK. 🙂
Visaton make one too:
SC 5 - 8 Ohm | Visaton
Like the Monacor HT-22/8, quite cheap. But OK. 🙂
Thanks for all the suggestions. I will experiment since these are not supposed to be reference monitors. These are just for my taste and personal preference.
I will tell you when I I finish it but it may take a while because I will probably order the tweeter from China and considering current situation it may take a while to get here.
Also does anyone know why these old paper speakers sound so "musical".
Also does anyone know why these old paper speakers sound so "musical".
"Musical" is a hard to define word, but in my view old speakers "sound good", I attribute that to lightweight thin cones (compared to modern ones) , lightweight paper former thin wire coils, which allowed them to cover quite a usable range, no crossovers, specially not "two very different speakers" trying to reproduce the same musical program.
Admittedly, range was not full by any means, they had little Bass (no clue about TS parameters and if measured: poor ones) and didn´t reach too high (that´s why you are asking for a Tweeter 🙂 ) but within that range there was not that "switching horses in the middle of the river" I mention above.
The Full Range guys are aware of that, maybe they know something? 😉
As of: "they sound better with back removed": not surprising; they probably are way underdamped and in a closed box it´s easy to sound ... um ... "boxy" , with some nasty "bass" peak .
Opening the box somewhat damps it and extends frequency response downwards, Bass is weaker (if you measure it) but "smoother".
Hate to use subjective words but measurements tend to confirm them.
Admittedly, range was not full by any means, they had little Bass (no clue about TS parameters and if measured: poor ones) and didn´t reach too high (that´s why you are asking for a Tweeter 🙂 ) but within that range there was not that "switching horses in the middle of the river" I mention above.
The Full Range guys are aware of that, maybe they know something? 😉
As of: "they sound better with back removed": not surprising; they probably are way underdamped and in a closed box it´s easy to sound ... um ... "boxy" , with some nasty "bass" peak .
Opening the box somewhat damps it and extends frequency response downwards, Bass is weaker (if you measure it) but "smoother".
Hate to use subjective words but measurements tend to confirm them.
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Thank for the explanation. That makes sense. With that thin cone and thin 5w coil they are super fast and responsive. I bought them from someone for less than $6 they were home built but looked nice. At first they sounded so boxy and peaky i couldn't listen to them but now i modified them to have grill on the back and now they are my favorite speakers to listen to music.
Everything in Audio is experimental. I have heard some Joachim Gerhard speakers though. And they impress. 😀
He has some theory about low loss drivers. And those old radio speakers fit the bill:
SpeakerBuilding.com - Interview with Joachim Gerhard of Audio Physic, Page 1
Galu was on the money about Monacor HT-22/8 cone tweeters too:
This is one of my better efforts.
But me and Michael Chua are great buddies too. He has had a good time with cheapie Audax units too:
Audax TW010E1 10mm Polymer Tweeter Review – AmpsLab
Enjoy the hobby! 🙂
He has some theory about low loss drivers. And those old radio speakers fit the bill:
SpeakerBuilding.com - Interview with Joachim Gerhard of Audio Physic, Page 1
Galu was on the money about Monacor HT-22/8 cone tweeters too:
This is one of my better efforts.
But me and Michael Chua are great buddies too. He has had a good time with cheapie Audax units too:
Audax TW010E1 10mm Polymer Tweeter Review – AmpsLab
Enjoy the hobby! 🙂
Hi again. I just wanted to update you on the project. I ordered cheap generic tweeters from eBay for testing. I also ordered some non polarized crossover capacitors and resistors now i am waiting for them to arrive ( it will take a long time because of the covid ) i like the tweeters you have recomanded me but i just want to experiment with something cheaper first. I also wanted to mention that old speakers never stop amazing me. I just got one of the early alnico speakers from the 50s and i didn't expect a good sound. I was completely wrong. It amazed me with it's sound despite being one of these speakers that don't even have a real spider. It has some sort of card material for the spider but still sounds nice for its age.
Hi everyone. I promised to update you all and here is an update. Thank you all for the help. For now I used Chinese cone tweeters for test and even with these 5 dollar tweeters for a pair!!! It sounds really good. I just put 3.3uf capacitor in series and it pretty much all balanced out great. I will definitely try the tweeters you recomanded me because these Chinese tweeters sound kind of sharp compared to soft sound of vintage woofers but still I can hear a lot more detail in the music than before. Thanks for all the help. 🙂
Thanks for the update.
You have done all that is necessary to add some sparkle to your vintage 6" x 9" speakers!
For reference, perhaps you could tell us which 'Chinese cone tweeters' you're currently experimenting with.
You have done all that is necessary to add some sparkle to your vintage 6" x 9" speakers!
For reference, perhaps you could tell us which 'Chinese cone tweeters' you're currently experimenting with.
I just had a little dig in the archive. TBH, I don't know why elliptical loudspeakers have gone out of fashion. Certainly advantages in spreading out horrible cone-breakup modes.
This is the old paper EMI 13" x 8" elliptical speaker. From the simple to the ridiculous in execution.
Sounded pretty good IIRC. Valves, of course.
This is the old paper EMI 13" x 8" elliptical speaker. From the simple to the ridiculous in execution.
Sounded pretty good IIRC. Valves, of course.
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Wow these 13x8 speakers look great and i bet they sound absolutely amazing. Someone should really start manufacturing these vintage style paper speakers because of people like us who absolutely love them.
I am currently building a germanium amplifier but that is a topic for another thread.
I am currently building a germanium amplifier but that is a topic for another thread.